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Is Romney right that Obama ‘gifts’ bought the election?

The New York Times reports that in a conference call with fund-raisers and donors to his campaign, Mitt Romney said President Obama prevailed in the election because of “gifts” to specific groups – “especially,” Mr. Romney said, “the African-American community, the Hispanic community and young people.”

Mr. Romney said his own campaign had focused on “talking about big issues for the whole country: military strategy, foreign policy, a strong economy, creating jobs and so forth.”

Expanding on his theory, Mr. Romney explained that, “With regards to the young people, for instance, a forgiveness of college loan interest was a big gift…Free contraceptives were very big with young, college-aged women. And then, finally, Obamacare also made a difference for them, because as you know, anybody now 26 years of age and younger was now going to be part of their parents’ plan, and that was a big gift to young people.

He said Obamacare had a high appeal for blacks and Hispanics. “You can imagine for somebody making $25,000 or $30,000 or $35,000 a year, being told you’re now going to get free health care, particularly if you don’t have it, getting free health care worth, what, $10,000 per family, in perpetuity – I mean, this is huge.”

Mr. Romney added that “with regards to Hispanic voters, the amnesty for children of illegals, the so-called Dream Act kids, was a huge plus for that voting group.”

Mr. Romney neglected to mention that his campaigned offered “gifts” of its own. The 20 percent across-the-board cut in tax rates would have benefited people in the upper brackets the most. And he vowed to reduce regulation of Wall Street.

What do you think? Is Romney right that Obama ‘gifts’ bought the election? Take our poll and/or leave a comment.